(a)        It shall be unlawful for any person to do any of the following:

(1)        Take and carry away, or aid in taking or carrying away, any waste kitchen grease container or the waste kitchen grease contained therein, which container bears a notice that unauthorized removal is prohibited without written consent of the owner of the container.

(2)        Intentionally contaminate or purposely damage any waste kitchen grease container or grease therein.

(3)        Place a label on a waste kitchen grease container knowing that it is owned by another person in order to claim ownership of the container.

(b)        Any person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be penalized as follows:

(1)        If the value of the waste kitchen grease container, or the container and the waste kitchen grease contained therein, is one thousand dollars ($1,000) or less, it shall be a Class 1 misdemeanor.

(2)        If the value of the waste kitchen grease container, or the container and the waste kitchen grease contained therein, is more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), it shall be a Class H felony.

(c)        A container in which waste kitchen grease is deposited that bears a name on the container shall be presumed to be owned by that person named on the container.

(d)       As used in this section, “waste kitchen grease” has the same meaning as in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 106-168.1 ?(2012-127, s. 6.)